Waterfront views
The terrace looks across the sea, Marina beach and JBR’s skyline, giving meals a distinctly scenic setting.
Besar Restaurant Bluewaters Dubai
Bluewaters Island
Besar is a Spanish-Andalusian restaurant on Bluewaters Island, combining seafood paella and tapas with terrace views over the water and JBR. Reviews also point to a strong breakfast and brunch offering, making it suitable for anything from a relaxed morning to an atmospheric dinner.
Reputation Score
4.7
★★★★★
541 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Standout paella
Seafood paella is repeatedly praised for generous portions and flavour; one group’s serving for three was more than enough.
Quick service
A lunch reviewer found the small plates fresh, delicious and fast, while several others described the service as attentive.
Spanish atmosphere
Terracotta tones, Moorish carvings, natural light and music help create a Spanish-inspired setting without feeling formal.
Breakfast choice
Reviews cover breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner, with breakfast dishes, drinks and coffee receiving specific praise.
Gallega octopus
The Gallega Octopus stood out to one visitor ordering light snacks and cocktails.
What to Eat at Besar Restaurant Bluewaters Dubai How we choose these items We use AI to find praise and criticism of specific foods and drinks in a selection of Google reviews. For Besar Restaurant Bluewaters Dubai, this list is based on 50 reviews, not every review of the restaurant. We still have more reviews to analyze, so the scores may change. The score is positive reviews minus negative reviews. For example, two positive reviews and one negative review give +1. Each review counts once per item; neutral comments do not change the score. A zero score is not a positive recommendation. “Only neutral feedback” means there are no positive or negative votes. “Mixed feedback” means equal numbers of positive and negative votes. The quotes are examples of what people said, not every comment we counted. We use different reviews where we can. We normally show up to 10 foods and 5 drinks with non-negative scores. Items with the same score stay together. If a tied group would go past the limit, that group and the lower non-negative scores go into Honorable mentions. If an overflowing positive top tie would leave the list empty, we show up to 10 items from that tie and keep the rest in Honorable mentions. Foods and drinks with a negative score are under What to Avoid. Use this as a guide to what reviewers liked, not a guarantee that you will like it too.
These items at Besar Restaurant Bluewaters Dubai got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 4
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Seafood paella Net +5
“Highly recommend trying the seafood paella — it’s definitely a standout dish and worth coming for.”
Positive 5Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Highly recommend trying the seafood paella — it’s definitely a standout dish and worth coming for.”April 2026
“The Seafood Paella was the highlight of our meal—perfectly cooked, bursting with flavors, and truly unforgettable.”January 2025
-
Crema catalana Net +2
“Food was perfect, we enjoyed the ceviche, seafood paella, and crema catalana.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Food was perfect, we enjoyed the ceviche, seafood paella, and crema catalana.”April 2026
“The food was simply amazing , we had the seafood paella which was delicious and for dessert the basque cheesecake and creme catalana. Would definitely recommend!”February 2025
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Croquettes Net +2
“I missed the Spanish authenticity in the spices and, for example, in the texture of the croquetas.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I missed the Spanish authenticity in the spices and, for example, in the texture of the croquetas.”April 2025
“The croquettes were absolutely breathtaking, and the beef empanada was just incredible.”October 2025
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Seafood salad Net +2
“The cuisine is amazing. Seafood salad and paella is so delicious. Strongly recommend especially if you want to enjoy your time, because music and dj Ksenia made my experience unforgettable”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The cuisine is amazing. Seafood salad and paella is so delicious. Strongly recommend especially if you want to enjoy your time, because music and dj Ksenia made my experience unforgettable”March 2025
“I enjoyed both my seafood dishes-seafood salad and paella! White Sangtia was also delicious!”May 2025
Honorable mentions (16)
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Ajillo shrimp Net +1
“We loved the food—especially the Ajillo Shrimp and Tomahawk.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We loved the food—especially the Ajillo Shrimp and Tomahawk.”June 2026
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Baby chicken Net +1
“I ordered the baby chicken with patatas bravas. Mouthwatering! Well prepared dish bursting with flavour.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I ordered the baby chicken with patatas bravas. Mouthwatering! Well prepared dish bursting with flavour.”December 2025
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Basque cheesecake Net +1
“The food was simply amazing , we had the seafood paella which was delicious and for dessert the basque cheesecake and creme catalana. Would definitely recommend!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food was simply amazing , we had the seafood paella which was delicious and for dessert the basque cheesecake and creme catalana. Would definitely recommend!”February 2025
-
Beef empanada Net +1
“The croquettes were absolutely breathtaking, and the beef empanada was just incredible.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The croquettes were absolutely breathtaking, and the beef empanada was just incredible.”October 2025
-
Ceviche Net +1
“Food was perfect, we enjoyed the ceviche, seafood paella, and crema catalana.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Food was perfect, we enjoyed the ceviche, seafood paella, and crema catalana.”April 2026
-
Chicken and rabbit paella Net +1
“We had an amazing New Year’s Eve at Besar Restaurant! The chicken and rabbit paella was incredible, and the tapas were absolutely delicious. My spouse and I enjoyed every moment—perfect food and atmosphere to start the year!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We had an amazing New Year’s Eve at Besar Restaurant! The chicken and rabbit paella was incredible, and the tapas were absolutely delicious. My spouse and I enjoyed every moment—perfect food and atmosphere to start the year!”January 2025
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Fresh orange lolly pops Net +1
“For kids they made fresh orange lolly pops.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“For kids they made fresh orange lolly pops.”February 2026
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Gallega octopus Net +1
“I specifically enjoyed the Gallega Octopus!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I specifically enjoyed the Gallega Octopus!”October 2025
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Lamb shoulders Net +1
“I recommend everyone to try their Lamb Shoulders and chicken paellas , must try !!!!! I really love this place.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I recommend everyone to try their Lamb Shoulders and chicken paellas , must try !!!!! I really love this place.”January 2025
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Mushroom risotto Net +1
“So tasty food😋 specially mushroom risotto and seafood ceviche 🔥 good service and amazing view to Marina😍”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“So tasty food😋 specially mushroom risotto and seafood ceviche 🔥 good service and amazing view to Marina😍”April 2026
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Paella for three Net +1
“My group ordered a paella for three, and it was more than enough. Super delicious, flavourful, and generous with the seafood.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“My group ordered a paella for three, and it was more than enough. Super delicious, flavourful, and generous with the seafood.”May 2026
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Patatas bravas Net +1
“I ordered the baby chicken with patatas bravas. Mouthwatering! Well prepared dish bursting with flavour.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I ordered the baby chicken with patatas bravas. Mouthwatering! Well prepared dish bursting with flavour.”December 2025
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Seafood ceviche Net +1
“So tasty food😋 specially mushroom risotto and seafood ceviche 🔥 good service and amazing view to Marina😍”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“So tasty food😋 specially mushroom risotto and seafood ceviche 🔥 good service and amazing view to Marina😍”April 2026
-
Tomahawk Net +1
“We loved the food—especially the Ajillo Shrimp and Tomahawk.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We loved the food—especially the Ajillo Shrimp and Tomahawk.”June 2026
-
Torrija de leche Net +1
“The Torrija de Leche was a perfect sweet ending, and the refreshing red sangria paired beautifully with the dishes.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The Torrija de Leche was a perfect sweet ending, and the refreshing red sangria paired beautifully with the dishes.”January 2025
-
White sangtia Net +1
“I enjoyed both my seafood dishes-seafood salad and paella! White Sangtia was also delicious!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I enjoyed both my seafood dishes-seafood salad and paella! White Sangtia was also delicious!”May 2025
Drinks 1
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Red sangria Net +1
“The Torrija de Leche was a perfect sweet ending, and the refreshing red sangria paired beautifully with the dishes.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The Torrija de Leche was a perfect sweet ending, and the refreshing red sangria paired beautifully with the dishes.”January 2025
What to Avoid (1)
Drinks 1
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Coffee latte Net −1
“Food was with good taste, but Barista needs to pay attention to the soft drinks, the coffee Latte was cold then changed to a spoiled milk one twice so it was left as per the picture.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Food was with good taste, but Barista needs to pay attention to the soft drinks, the coffee Latte was cold then changed to a spoiled milk one twice so it was left as per the picture.”December 2025
Tips for a Better Visit
Book evenings. Reserve for dinner rather than relying on a walk-in: one weekday afternoon visitor expected night-time demand to be higher.
Choose terrace. Sit outside when the weather is comfortable for the sea and JBR views; avoid the terrace if it is too hot.
Share paella. A paella ordered for three was more than enough, so consider sharing it with sides rather than ordering too much.
Mention allergies. Tell the waiter about food allergies before ordering; one guest received help choosing suitable dishes.
Try brunch. Breakfast and brunch are well represented in the reviews, including a relaxed Sunday brunch with friends.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Bluewaters
Marsa Dubai - Bluewaters Island, Dubai
| Mon | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Tue | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Wed | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Thu | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Fri | 12:00 PM – 1:00 AM |
| Sat | 12:00 PM – 1:00 AM |
| Sun | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
Common Concerns
Premium pricing
One reviewer found the restaurant pricey, particularly objecting to steep markups on widely available wines.
Wine markups
A detailed review reported Cloudy Bay, Whispering Angel, Chablis and Prosecco at roughly 2.5–3 times retail pricing.
Cooking miss
One reviewer said a steak ordered medium rare arrived well done, a notable issue at the restaurant’s stated price level.
Paella concern
One review raised a serious concern about the smell and freshness of the seafood paella; this conflicts with many positive paella reports.
Coffee problem
A reviewer reported that a latte arrived cold and was then replaced twice with coffee containing spoiled milk.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Besar is a Spanish-Andalusian restaurant on Bluewaters Island, with a terrace overlooking the sea, Marina beach and the JBR skyline. The menu’s clearest draws are seafood paella, seafood salad, Gallega-style octopus and tapas, while breakfast and brunch reviews make it more versatile than a dinner-only venue. The paella is the dish to investigate first.
Several diners called it a standout, and one group found a serving for three generous enough to share alongside two sides. Other praised orders include mushroom risotto, seafood ceviche, crema catalana and Basque cheesecake. Presentation is regularly mentioned, and the restaurant’s terracotta, Moorish-inspired interior and Spanish-leaning music add character without making the setting feel stuffy.
Service is usually described as warm, attentive and quick, with reviewers also mentioning helpful guidance for food allergies and thoughtful birthday touches such as fresh orange lollipops for children. The terrace is especially appealing in cooler weather, though one visitor advised sitting outside only when it is not too hot. For evening visits, booking is sensible: a weekday afternoon walk-in expected nights to require reservations.
There are caveats. One detailed review criticised high wine markups, a well-done steak ordered medium rare and seafood freshness in a paella; another reported repeated problems with a latte. These are minority reports, but worth bearing in mind given the premium positioning.